K-pop girl group denied entry to US on suspicion of being ‘sex workers’

A Korean pop group has reportedly been denied entry into the United States after authorities at a Los Angeles airport allegedly assumed they were sex workers.

Oh My Girl, who formed in March and have so far released two albums (‘Oh My Girl’ and ‘Closer’), were detained at Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday (December 9), according to reports.

A statement from the group’s record company, WM Entertainment, confirmed the news and said that the band’s eight members were held in customs for 15 hours before flying back to the South Korean capital of Seoul.

“As young women, they seem to have mistaken them as sex workers, which has recently been a big issue in the US,” the statement alleges.

A spokesperson also claims that authorities were suspicious of the amount of clothing and props the members had brought with them.

TMZ reports that the group were attempting to enter the country with visitor visas instead of performer visas, but the group’s management deny that they were set to perform whilst in the country, despite BBC Newsbeat reporting that they were booked to perform at a gala event in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The group’s official statement claims that they are seeking legal advice following the incident.